


5 + 1 times Daniel saw Betty and the one time someone else saw them

by ismellitblue



Category: Ugly Betty
Genre: Angst, Character Death, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Happy Ending, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 09:10:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12767727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ismellitblue/pseuds/ismellitblue
Summary: Daniel meets Betty earlier and it sets off a chain reaction.





	5 + 1 times Daniel saw Betty and the one time someone else saw them

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Ugly Betty.

1.

He poked at a  questionable piece of trash with his socked foot.Ignoring the people around him and wondering for the umpteenth time why he’d decided to head out in the storm ,barely dressed.Then of course he remembered walking in on Alex sleeping with _his,_ girlfriend.It didn’t even matter that he’d known the girl for  two days,but she’d been his and just like everything eles in his life…Alex had taken her for himself.

Something bright and totally revolting was pushed into his line of vision,breaking him out of his thoughts and he looked up only to be met by the biggest teeth he’d ever seen.

“Hi,I’m Betty”Her smile widened at that,and Daniel found himself staring at her braces.

“Daniel”

He looked down at the multi coloured scarf she was offering and reluctantly took it,deciding that keeping warm outweighed the garish colour.To his shock after giving him the scarf,she handed him a cup of coffee.

He took it on auto pilot,still shocked by the random act of kindness(and the kaleidoscope of colours she was wearing).

“Thank you”The coffee was  bit too sweet for his liking but he the heat was welcome.

A loud honking broke the early morning silence of the park and he turned towards it.When he looked to her spot on the bench she was gone.

When one of their drivers came to pick him up,he threw the empty cup in the nearest trash can and was about to do the same with scarf(afterall the car had a heater).His hand stilled mid way,and he felt the soft wool between his fingers before wrapping it around his neck and getting into the car…ignoring the driver’s questioning look.

2.

The second time he saw her,Alex was still the source of his problems,but not in his usual girlfriend stealing ways.

He was dead.

Of all the things-Alex decided to die on him-right after Daniel decided he never wanted to speak to him again ,the guy _died_ (taking the whole not talking to each other thing to a whole new level-one upping him even in death).

After the funeral,he’d planned to leave early with a French model who’d promised to give him _personal comfort._

She’d excused herself to go to the bathroom first and Daniel had gone out to the balcony to get away from all the cloying colognes and perfumes.

It was while he was there that a bright flash of colour caught his eyes.

“Betty?”Despite being on the second floor and all the noise of the street below,his voice carried and she looked around before finally tilting her head up.

She looked at him uncomprehending for a while,before her eyes lit up in recognition.Her braces twinkled in the morning sun as she smiled up at him,waving frantically and Daniel found himself waving back.

It was only when she ran into a lamp post that they both stopped.He watched worriedly as she picked herself up,before looking up and giving him one final slow wave.A geeky looking guy started calling her name and a look of panic crossed her features before she smiled apologetically at him and dashed across the street,disappearing into the crowd.

He didn’t wait for Mari-,Marianne/Mariette  to return.He made his way out of his parents’ house and went back to his penthouse on his own.

When he was absolutely certain that he was alone,he switched off his phone and dug out a box from the back of his closet.In it was the lumpy,overly bright scarf Betty had given him.He carried it to the large bed with him and got on,only removing his shoes and loosening his tie.

He held the scarf close,curling in on himself and for the first time in a really really-really long time-Daniel Meade let himself cry.

3.

On Their third meeting she didn’t see him but he saw her.

He’d just been chewed out by his father,and he was well on his way to –I can’t remember my name drunk.There’d been an accident up ahead and it had brought traffic to a standstill, so he’d sprawled at the back of the limo,practically inhaling the whiskey.

He’d looked out the window and there she was.

Holding a little boy’s hand and walking briskly,they were clearly in rush.He tried to yell and get out of the car but all he managed was to find himself staring at the sunroof as a pained croak escaped him.

By the time he finally got back onto the seat,she was gone.

He found himself ordering the driver to take him home,instead of heading for the strip club-the paparazzi already had enough fodder on him.

When he got up the following morning,it was to his father staring down at him(how the man always got into his penthouse-he’d never know).

“Get dressed,we need to talk”

He got up on shaky legs and headed for the bathroom,never noticing the perplexed look the older man was giving him.Unbeknownst to him,Bradford Meade was shocked that he hadn’t had to pay off people to keep his son’s reputation somewhat clean-after the row they’d had the previous night.

Daniel had gone home and slept it off.He’d remained _anchored._

…How interesting.

4.

The next time they met was also rushed,but at least she saw him too.And he wasn’t even having a bad day.He’d just seen his mother,who was somewhat sober and his father was out of the country.

Thanks to her good behavior his mother was allowed out of rehab for the day and he’d taken her shopping and they were ending the trip with some yoghurt.

“ _Daniel!”_ He turned at the sound of his name and was greeted,by Betty jumping up and down,waving her hands so that he wouldn’t be able to miss her.Which would have been impossible given she was wearing a costume with bright pink feathered wings.

He found himself,laughing despite himself and waving back cheerfully,not even caring that people were staring.Their reunion was cut short by a woman who looked a lot like Betty grabbing her and basically dragging her towards the exit,but Betty gave him one last blinding smile before vanished from site.

“What was that?”There was genuine interest in his mother’s voice and Daniel felt the tips of his ears turn red as he tried to explain their not quite friendship.

When he dropped her off at the center,she was in high spirits for some reason and she gave him a hug.

Something she didn’t normally do without cameras around.

When he asked why,she simply gave him a knowing smile before heading to her rooms.

“I’m proud of you Daniel,”She called back over her shoulder,and he was left wondering exactly what he’d done to get her approval.

5.

On their last chance encounter they finally got each other’s full names.

For some unknown reason his father had decided it would be an excellent idea to make him Editor in Chief of Mode.

He had no clue what he was doing and it was showing.Wilhelmina could sense his fear and she was closing in for the kill,with Marc and all her other cronies there with their knives drawn,ready to stab him in the back at the slightest sign of weakness.

He tried to regroup,but she undermined him at every turn,making him look incompetent(which he was)without seeming like she was doing it on purpose(goodness she was such a witch).

A crash from behind had him looking back,and true smile stole over his features-he only knew one person who used colours like that.And when the person got up his guess was proven correct.

_Betty._

Her face lit up when she saw him and he watched her shuffle to the corner,before continuing again,with more confidence than he’d felt since the entire thing began.Whe he finished,everyone was staring at him-slack jawed and he had the satisfaction of watching Wilhelmina leave in a huff.

“My name is Betty Suarez,I’m your assistant”She said extending her hand in greeting.

“Daniel Meade”Neither of them let go for a while and she walked beside him when he headed to his office.

+++

 

Bradford had expected some kind of  resistance from Daniel when he’d pulled rank and hired Betty.But he’d been waiting for over a month and nothing had happened.They got along famously,right from the get go.

It was very unsettling to see Daniel,keeping such a long term relationship(even a business one) for so long,willingly without coercion.He mentioned it to Claire,during one of the few times they were actually talking instead of arguing.His wife didn’t seem particularly shocked by this and her reply left him speechless.

“You know Bradford,I always worried Daniel had too much of a wandering eye,but now I see that I was wrong”

“He just needed a touchstone,and without any interference from us,he’s finally found one”

“But he just met the girl Claire,how can you be sure”

”Oh,how little you know Bradford,…how little you know about your own son”

She looked towards a distant corner and Bradford followed her gaze and there was Daniel.Smiling and laughing,genuinely enjoying whatever conversation he and Betty were having.He clutched his stomach and leaned over slightly holding his laughter in check and Bradford looked over at Claire ,catching the last of the wistful look she had been giving the pair.

“They’ll figure it out eventually,right now,all we can do is make sure their road is as smooth as possible”

For once he didn’t disagree with her,he turned back to where his son was only  to see him helping Betty into her coat as the two of them prepared to leave.

“Good luck …son”


End file.
